Fourth-annual event hosted by international research firm Parks Associates

Parks Associates is hosting the final day of the fourth-annual Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers today, with keynotes from Aetna Digital and UnitedHealthcare to discuss the day’s theme of Innovations and Business Models. The conference featured keynotes from Geisinger Health System and Sharecare on Wednesday, August 30, which focused on Business Strategy and Patient Experience. The special session “Fireside Chat: Consumer Aging Journey and Business Opportunities” featured AARP and IBM and addressed challenges of seniors and boomers as they enter a new life stage and the potential to improve their quality of life through technological innovations.

“Nearly 60% of U.S. broadband households have a household member with at least one chronic condition, and the healthcare industry urgently needs solutions that address these conditions,” said Brad Russell, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “Smart home services are a key channel to deliver home monitoring and independent solutions that can both help families cope and save costs. AI and machine learning are also important technologies in creating a voice-interactive home that can learn about its users and respond quickly and correctly to a request or a change in behavior.”

Speakers at the Connected Health Summit also stressed the importance of customer service in improving patient outcomes and discussed strategies to integrate mobile device and big data solutions in order to improve the patient experience. They also tackled the difficulty of crafting incentives to create true behavioral change.

“Our consumer research shows that the most vulnerable period for users of a wellness device is between 7-12 months of ownership, when roughly one-fourth of owners report they either stop or only occasionally use it,” said Harry Wang, Senior Research Director, Parks Associates. “Device makers and service providers need to leverage the connectivity in their devices to push out new features that maintain usage at this critical juncture.”

More than 300 executives are attending Connected Health Summit this week at the Omni Hotel in San Diego, including device makers and distributors, healthcare providers, insurance and health institutions, software and app developers, telecom and broadband service providers, technology enablers, brands and merchants, and mobile infrastructure providers. Parks Associates analysts moderate all sessions and present the firm’s latest digital health research.

“Policy makers, healthcare practitioners, technology vendors, and entrepreneurs all demand insights about factors that produce actual results and help consumers manage their chronic conditions, maintain wellness in their daily lives, and address needs as they or loved ones age,” said Jennifer Kent, Director, Research Quality & Product Development, Parks Associates. “The Connected Health Summit examines the approaches in deploying the connected healthcare products and services within the expanding IoT market that deliver successful results.”

Event sponsors include Independa, iQor, Reemo Health, AARP, Alarm.com, BodiMetrics, Macadamian, mPulse Mobile, PokitDok, ULE Alliance, Vivify Health, Z-Wave, California HealthCare Foundation, Best Buy, LivingWell@Home, Rapid Response Monitoring, Sidebench, Freeus, and MobileHelp Healthcare.

Event Supporters include Antenna, B2 Group, BestSEOS.com, Best Web Design Agencies, CIO Applications, CIOReview, Conference Guru, CoPE, Crowd Reviews, CTA, ES Outlook, FierceHealthcare, FierceHealthIT, FiercePharma, Finpro, Healthcare Dive, Home Health Technology News, Hometoys, i-Home, Innovation & Tech Today, Intelligent Health Association, Internet Health Management, IoT Consortium, LonMark International, Managed Care Magazine, Open Connectivity Foundation, Open Mobile Alliance, Personal Connected Health Alliance, PharmaVoice, RHCC, RTC Magazine, Smart Insights, Springboard, Telebehavioral Health Institute, Telecompaper, Telehealth & Telecare Aware, The MedTech Strategist, The Journal of mHealth, topSEOS.com, Visibility Magazine, and Wi-Fi Alliance.

To schedule an interview with an analyst or request specific research, contact Julia Homier at julia.homier@parksassociates.com, 972.996.0214.

About Connected Health Summit: Consumer Engagement and Innovation

Connected Health Summit: Consumer Engagement and Innovation is a virtual executive conference focused on the impact of connected devices and IoT healthcare solutions on consumers at home.

Connected Health Summit provides insights on new business models, IoT technologies, consumer behaviors, and deployments relevant to consumer healthcare solutions. The conference addresses opportunities for new solutions, including smart home platforms, on-demand services, voice assistants, and wearables, to empower consumers, caregivers, and providers and to meet the growing demand for services in independent living, chronic care management, remote access to care, and wellness and fitness.